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Death penalty case before the Washington Supreme Court, TVW will air live

by caprecord

The Washington Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday in the death penalty case of Conner Schierman, who was convicted and sentenced to death for stabbing four people, including two young children, and burning their bodies in a Kirkland house fire.

In 2010, a King County Superior Court jury recommended that Schierman be executed for killing Olga Milkin, 28; her two sons Justin, 5, and Andrew, 3; and her sister, Lyubov Botvina, 24.

The victims lived across the street from Schierman in Kirkland. Milkin’s husband was overseas serving with the National Guard in Iraq when his family was killed.

According to court documents, Schierman claims he drank three or four bottles of vodka and went into an alcoholic blackout, then woke up in the house with the bodies. He then went to a mini-mart to buy gasoline, which he used to douse the house and set it on fire.

Attorneys for Schierman are asking the Washington Supreme Court to reverse the death sentence, claiming the trial court violated Schierman’s constitutional rights and the state presented improper evidence.

The state is asking the court to uphold the conviction and sentence. Read full court documents here.

TVW will air the arguments live on Tuesday from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., with breaks for lunch and recess. It will be webcast at this link.